Elementary Education Teaching Pre-Credential
Future career possibilities include:
- Elementary School Teacher (usually in grades TK-6)
- K-12 Special Education Teacher
- Bilingual Elementary School Teacher
- Resource Teacher
- Principal
- Superintendent of Schools
The B.A. in Child & Adolescent Development: Concentration in Elementary Education Teaching Pre-Credential is for students who wish to become:
- Elementary school teachers (usually in grades TK-6), and plan to enroll in a Multiple Subjects Teaching Credential program, or
- K-12 special education teachers, and plan to enroll in an Education Specialist Credential program after graduation.
Students who earn a B.A. in Child & Adolescent Development: Elementary Education Teaching Pre-Credential demonstrate the Subject Matter Requirement (CSET) for multiple subject and education specialist credentials in California.
Program Learning Outcomes
- Promote and advocate for social justice and be culturally aware, sensitive and responsive in the context of CAD
- Apply developmental, learning and cultural theories used in the field of CAD
- Communicate persuasively, coherently and effectively in the context of CAD
- Understand research methods, assessment, evaluation, data collection, analysis and reporting in the context of CAD
- Understand the professional roles and responsibilities in Elementary Education settings.
- Demonstrate competency in each of the domains of the elementary subject matter requirements adopted by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing.
SF State Scholars (Blended Bachelor's + Master's + Credential) Program
The San Francisco State Scholars program provides undergraduate students with an accelerated pathway to a graduate degree and credential. Graduates of this integrated program will be able to complete their BA in Child and Adolescent Development (Elementary Education Teaching Pre-Credential), MA in Special Education, and one of the following preliminary credentials in 6 years:
- Mild Moderate Support Needs
- Extensive Support Needs
- Visual Impairments
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Yes, you can request to change your major on your student center. View the Major & Minor Change Guide for steps on how to change your major.
If you have already completed CAD 450 in the CAD core major requirements, please email cad@sfsu.edu to request to course substitute CAD 450 for the new CAD 411 requirement.
If you want to be a public general education Kindergarten or Transitional Kindergarten (TK) school teacher, we recommend declaring the CAD Elementary Education Teaching Pre-Credential concentration and the minor in Early Childhood Development.
If you want to obtain the K-12 Credential in Extensive Support Needs, to be able to work with children with disabilities from Kindergarten through age 22 years, we recommend declaring the CAD Elementary Education Teaching Pre-Credential concentration.
If you want to obtain the Early Childhood Special Education Credential (ECSE), to be able to work with young children with disabilities from birth through kindergarten, we recommend declaring the CAD Early Care & Education concentration
If you want to work outside the classroom, we recommend reviewing the Community, Health, & Social Services concentration.
If you are still unsure, we recommend meeting with a CAD Faculty Advisor.
For California public elementary schools, a post baccalaureate credential is required. Please visit the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing for more specific information.
The Elementary Education Teaching Pre-Credential concentration prepares students to become elementary school teachers (and who plan to enroll in Multiple Subjects Teaching Credential programs) or K-12 special education teachers (and who plan to enroll in the Education Specialist Credential program after graduation).
Please visit our advising webpage.
Please visit SF State’s Undergraduate Admissions website for details on eligibility
Please contact Student Outreach Services.
You may transfer no more than 70-semester units to a CSU campus from an institution which does not offer bachelor's degrees or their equivalents, e.g., community colleges. Given the university's 30-unit residency requirement, you may transfer no more than 90 total units into the university from all sources.
General education requirements are the same for all CSU campuses, so California community college articulations of general education courses (about one third of degree requirements) are handled centrally and may be accessed at ASSIST.
Yes – students can take articulated equivalents of some of the CAD major courses at California Community Colleges. You can visit the ASSIST website to view the articulation agreement between SF State and your specific Community College.
For the Elementary Education Teaching Pre-Credential concentration, there are community college equivalent courses for CAD 210, CAD 260, and MATH 165.